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Yesterday was Cyber Monday, so I watched last night’s episode of The Voice on my ten 10%-off (10 times 10 equals 100% off; I am a financial genius) plasma TVs I bought earlier that morning with Amazon Prime One-Hour Shipping. Here’s what you missed.
No one has cared so much about a Top 8 since back when MySpace had more than four active users (and, let’s be real, one of those is Tom). Cee Lo Green is the only coach to have retained three artists in the competition, while Dez Duron stands alone as the sole remaining member of Team Christina—Obi Dez Duroni, you’re her only hope. (Considering her recent hairstyles on The Voice, it’s only a matter of time till Xtina shows up for a taping in Princess Leia buns.)
The show starts with 50 Cent and Adam Levine dueting on their new single “My Life.” A fog machine on full blast and an abundance of neon “50” signs can’t distract from how meh this is. I’d rather see Adam perform with some kind of freaky asylum patient from American Horror Story.
The first to take the stage for Team Adam is Amanda Brown, former Adele background singer—going full All About Eve with a cover of the English superstar’s “Someone Like You.” But this ain’t no ballad. Amanda brings a gritty, rock-and-roll edge to her performance, completely transforming the song’s tone. Get it, girl.
Cee Lo envisions Cody Belew as a latter-day Freddie Mercury, so what better song for him to cover than Queen’s “Somebody to Love?” This classic track requires personality as well as power, and boyfriend delivers—recovering from last week’s Beyoncé misstep with a performance grounded in strong vocals.
But that’s not to say Cody’s lost his oddball “bam bam” charm. When he climbs atop a grand piano—as a full choir in floor-length robes looks on—it’s clear that he’s more in his element than ever.
Cassadee Pope, Dez Duron, Melanie Martinez and Terry McDermott band together for a version of the All-American Rejects’ “Move Along.” For reasons that escape me, they are accompanied by Max Headroom lookalikes in sleeveless suits, banging on light-up garbage cans with glowsticks. Yup.
Terry is up next, performing coach Blake Shelton’s own (!) “Over.” Blake modestly explains the song is “better suited for Terry” than it ever was for his own voice (ugh, humility dreamboat), and that he wants America to see McDermott perform something other than classic rock.
Terry’s rendition is completely solid, but not terribly exciting—save for a weird, avant garde close-up of a lightbulb, because somebody behind the camera just wrapped up their first prereq for their Film Studies minor.
Though she’s complimentary overall, Christina points out that Terry’s voice falters slightly in its lower range. It’s interesting at this stage to see the backhanded compliments and subtly passive-aggressive digs emerge from competing judges (the exception to this is Blake, who is a perfect, guileless, broad-shouldered angel). They may no longer have a direct hand in who’s eliminated, but damn if they won’t try to sway how America votes.
Team Adam’s baby sister Melanie Martinez covers “Too Close” by Alex Clare—she mentions that she’s chosen this song because she’s “going through a break-up,” and I wonder if we’ll soon have another Taylor Swift on our hands.
This is, in many ways, a standard Melanie performance, but arguably her best so far—this time the raspiness doesn’t feel forced, and her power crescendoes perfectly at the chorus. Melanie looks increasingly mortified each time Adam offers to beat up the boy who apparently wronged her, and I suddenly realize—oh no, she broke his heart. Awk. Somewhere on Long Island tonight, a 17-year-old is crying into his AP Chem textbook. We feel for you, bro.
“A lot of people peg me as this Yale quarterback jock guy,” Dez Duron says with a smirk. No, Dez. No, they don’t. In fact, we peg you as the type of guy who’d cover Justin Bieber, which is exactly what you’re about to do.
It’s actually irrelevant how well Dez sings “U Smile,” because he’ll automatically win the vote of every prepubescent female in the country no matter what he does. I find Dez hopelessly boring, and am embarrassed to admit I sort of stopped paying attention mid-song. As an apology, please accept this actual fan comment left on a recent photo uploaded to Dez’s Facebook fan page: “He.Is.The.Sexiest.Thing.On.This.Universe.”
After last week’s ill-conceived detour into dance music, I’m so relieved that Trevin Hunte has chosen “The Greatest Love of All,” the gold standard of ballads. Increasingly confident—and looking the part of a supah-star in a supah-sparkly blazer—Trevin does some of his best belting yet. “I really hope that this is heaven,” Adam sighs.
Christina Milian is babbling about something to Terry McDermott when, all of a sudden, his wife and son appear in the Skybox alongside them. They giddily make out (Terry and his wife, that is—not his wife and his son, nor his wife and Christina) and it’s possibly the sweetest thing ever.
For the evening’s second group number, Cody, Trevin, Cassadee Pope and Nicholas David perform “Any Way You Want It” (is Journey secretly NBC’s majority shareholder?). In general, these group performances by their nature struggle to surpass the awkward choreography of a middle-school class concert, but this is a strong showing from a strong ensemble.
Baby-daddy-to-be Nicholas David’s rehearsal with Cee Lo is joined by soul legend Bill Withers, there to help David hone his rendition of “What’s Goin’ On.” Nicholas can’t help but stare at Withers—whose “Lean on Me” he covered last week—literally open-mouthed at the sight of his hero. D’aww.
As you’ve probably come to expect from Nicholas, the performance is so, so good. In terms of musicianship, he’s such a refreshing change from his competitors—who frequently sing with virtually untouched prop guitars—as he makes the keyboard his b-word week after week.
Closing out the night is Blake’s Cassadee Pope, still riding high from topping the iTunes charts last week. She takes on Michelle Branch’s “Are You Happy Now,” tapping into the “spiteful” side of the song—inspired by her painful history with her out-of-the-picture father. (Maybe this also served, obliquely, as emotional fodder for “Over You?” Maybe I spend too much time thinking about Cassadee Pope’s childhood? Maybe you don’t know me? Maybe you should back off because you’ll never understand Cassadee’s and my deeply personal connection?)
Back in her pop-punk wheelhouse, Cassadee turns in a strong performance, if not a particularly unique one. For me, it was a letdown after last week’s country revelation. Nevertheless, Adam proclaims her to be the show’s new “front-runner.”
The Voice returns tomorrow night at 8 p.m., when the bottom two artists will be eliminated. Follow Molly on Twitter @mollyfitz.
[Photo Credit: Tyler Golden/NBC]
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Welcome back to The Voice. The top 10 contestants brought their A-game for last night’s live episode — knowing the bottom two will be eliminated tonight.
In support of Christina Aguilera’s new album Lotus — which Carson Daly dutifully reminds us about every 45 seconds — Blake Shelton joins Xtina (who is, adorably, about three feet shorter than he is) for the country-tinged ballad “Just a Fool.” It’s a lovely song, but the absurd production values we've grown accustomed to on this show make anything short of a full-on fireworks display seem a little dull.
In rehearsals, 19-year-old diva Sylvia Yacoub is immediately upstaged by Coach Christina, in an uncannily matching coral eyeliner-lips-hair trifecta — that’s why she’s a superstar, people. This week, Christina is assisted by record executive Ron Fair, who I mistook as Elvis Costello for two wonderful seconds. Ron has clumsily donned a fedora, the universal symbol for “I’m not a suit, I’m totally creative, and this has nothing to do with my worsening baldness — right, guys?”
Sylvia is back on the piano for “Girl on Fire.“ Although she kills it on the refrain — a perfect fit for her powerful voice — it’s not her best outing. But that’s not saying much. Unless otherwise noted, assume all of Yacoub’s performances are excellent.
It’s amazing to see how Sylvia’s metamorphosed since her blind audition — from a boxy blazer and teenage curls to expensive make-up and a metallic peplum (that's right, fashion, I know what your words mean) mini-dress.
The producers have clearly tried to work that same magic on unapologetically mulleted Terry McDermott, succeeding only in semi-flattening his hair. Blake sticks with Terry’s classic rock strengths and assigns him “Summer of ’69.” How does he hit those high notes? “A good old wedgie,” Terry explains.
As always, McDermott delivers. His rock-n’-roll style cannot be improved upon — I’m so relieved that the show hasn’t felt compelled to push him out of his genre of choice. He’s also the only contestant to regularly acknowledge the existence of his band members, playfully interacting with them like a real frontman.
If there can only be one, I wouldn’t mind if it’s Terry. I honestly don’t think he’ll win The Voice — though he’s a lock for the top eight — but I’d happily buy advance tickets now for Terry’s national tour, Sixty-Year-Old White Dudes’ Favorite Songs Live.
Carson takes a moment to acknowledge the cast of Guys with Kids in the audience, including Jamie-Lynn “Why Is Meadow Soprano on a Crappy Sitcom?” Siegler, who — lest we forget — was once an aspiring pop star herself. “If you’re here, where are the kids?” Carson asks, because he believes that all television shows are documentaries.
Melanie Martinez, the youngest remaining contestant, covers the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” on guitar. I do like Melanie, but as I’ve said before, her cutie-pie whisper has largely lost its charm. She identifies herself as a “softer singer,” which seems like an understatement. If she stood within a few feet of Sylvia on stage, she’d be blown away like a tiny, two-tone tumbleweed.
“Seven Nation Army” is an interesting, relatively gritty song choice — Adam Levine reports that Melanie pressed for it herself — and I like that her own surreal, butterfly-heavy photography is incorporated into a slideshow behind the stage as well as the print of her dress. Nevertheless, she fails to impress.
Cee Lo Green’s unsinkable Cody Belew is up next, co-mentored by — holy Dreamgirls, Batman — Jennifer Hudson, dangerously crossing the American Idol and Voice streams. I love it when male singers cover Beyoncé (He-yoncé?), so I’m excited to hear he’ll perform “Crazy in Love.”
I am still a [hashtag] Belewer, but this performance falls flat for me. Looking like an evil chain-mail Michael Jackson from the future (and a slick of eyeliner away from Adam Lambert), he brings the “bam bam,” but the song doesn’t really suit his voice. Hudson had advised him to adjust the key in rehearsals — I can’t decide if it should be higher or lower, but it’s still not quite there.
Yet, as Christina says, he “worked it like a true diva.” Cody remains a force to be reckoned with.
Bronx native Bryan Keith takes on Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind” for coach Adam. Bryan is blossoming into a formidable crooner — his simple, lovely version of the song is anchored in his calm and confident stage presence. Cee Lo rightly praises him for singing “like a man’s man.” More Billy Joel, please. If you want to keep the Mom vote locked down, Bryan, how about a little “Just the Way You Are?”
After a relatively weak performance last week, Amanda Brown is ready to bring it. Grace Potter’s “Stars” is a slower, more emotional choice than what she’s offered lately, but the risk pays off. Her gorgeous, vulnerable performance has one-time coach Cee Lo pining for his “favorite mistake.”
Even Nicholas David is looking suspiciously well groomed — his long locks have been lustrously blown out, and I expect it’s only a matter of time before we see some Farrah Fawcett layers. Backed by a full gospel choir, he sings the Bill Withers classic “Lean on Me” and plays the piano.
I can’t imagine a better song to showcase his talents — his cover is beautifully mellow and polished. On the strength of this performance, Cee Lo hails Nicholas as “the voice of a generation,” and eager beaver Blake calls this the best episode of The Voice ever.
Oh, dear. Sweet, sweet Trevin Hunte is going rogue — against the advice of Cee Lo and J-Huds, he decides to abandon the ballads that have made his reputation and explore a new side of himself with Usher’s “Scream.”
I hate to say it, but this is the episode’s weakest performance. Trevin can’t seem to handle the accelerated pace of a dance song. He’s off-key throughout the chorus, and there’s an awkward disparity in volume between his vocals and the background track. The overall effect is uncomfortable.
I do appreciate the change in style, and I expect that Trevin — long a favorite to win the season — can overcome this misstep. To quote Adam, still confident in Trevin’s chances, he “could sing the dictionary.”
Cassadee Pope’s outfit looks like she borrowed Miss Teen Minnesota’s evening gown for the night, but then accidentally tore open the dress backstage with only thirty seconds to air and desperately threw on leggings underneath.
She covers Miranda Lambert’s “Over You,” a song co-written by coach Blake about the untimely passing of his brother. I’d written off Cassadee as a drugstore generic for Avril Lavigne, but this raw, poignant performance is a surprise. I love it.
A few seconds of watching a moist-eyed Blake proudly watch Cassadee perform “the most personal” song of his career aaaaaand I’m tearing up. I hope she’ll continue to experiment with songs outside her pop-punk comfort zone.
Full disclosure: I’m not convinced that beady-eyed Dez Duron isn’t a psychopath — something along the lines of Patrick Bateman, or worse, Tom Cruise. That makes it all the more painful for me to tell you that he killed it last night. His jazzy, confident cover of Nina Simone’s “Feelin’ Good” brings the house down. Dapper in a white tuxedo jacket, Dez doesn’t just act like Sinatra, he somehow manages to sound like him, too.
The Voice returns tonight at 8 p.m, after all the votes have been counted. Follow Molly on Twitter @mollyfitz.
[Image Credit: NBC (2)]
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I’m not sure if last night’s episode of The Voice was particularly surreal, or if that was just a side effect of the massive dose of cold medicine I took right before it started. Either way, the fun is contagious (and the next time I’m tempted to make a terrible pun, I promise I’ll just cough on you instead).
For Team Blake, Nashville veteran Liz Davis battles Nicole Johnson, a less experienced country performer. Blake coyly assigns them “Baggage Claim” by Miranda Lambert (that is, Mrs. Shelton). The coach also offers a bizarrely intense commentary on 25-year-old Liz’s fading (?) career prospects: “This needs to happen now, if it’s ever going to.” He’s right, girl — hurry up before rigor mortis sets in.
The ladies ultimately turn in a polished duet, but Liz’s sultry, gritty edge wins her the battle. Backstage, poor Nicole tears up, but Blake chases her down with a comforting goodbye hug. D’aww.
Adam and mentor Mary J. Blige — by the way, the requisite footage of contestants reacting to how impressive their coaches and mentors are and oh my god what huge influences they’ve been has officially gotten old — pair performing arts student Alessandra Guercio and Kayla Nevarez, both 17. As they rehearse “Wide Awake,” it occurs to me that the girls kind of look alike, and also both look a little bit like Katy Perry — but don’t put too much stock in that, because it’s probably just the NyQuil talking.
Both singers are undeniably talented, but Kayla has — I can’t believe I’m saying this as compliment — a Disney quality to her, an ingénue sweetness that I find endearing. Despite Alessandra’s superior power, her performance feels artificial. My general impression of Guercio is a 37-year-old performing in a 17-year-old’s body.
It’s close, but Adam picks Kayla. After a confusing (if predictably narcissistic) digression about her time in the Mickey Mouse Club, Christina claims Alessandra — her first steal of the season!
A few excerpted battles flash by: Cee Lo’s Mycle Wastman knocks out Ben Taub on that song from the Internet Explorer commercials. On team Adam, Michelle Brooks-Thompson defeats Adanna Duru on “Crazy in Love” (how dare you play me only an abbreviated version of a Beyoncé song, producers — how dare you?). Christina pits married duo Beat Frequency against Latin pop singer Laura Vivas on “Poker Face.” Thankfully, Laura wins, but I’m disappointed we didn’t get to see more of my favorite freak show of a double act — plus, I would have been legitimately curious to witness the three-person rehearsal dynamic in action.
For the episode’s final battle, Cee Lo’s Emily Earle faces MacKenzie Bourg in a rare co-ed duet/romcom premise. If you’re reading this, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, give me a call.
With the pair’s “youthfulness and energy” in mind, Cee Lo asks them to perform Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Good Time.” Emily stresses about leaving her country comfort zone, while MacKenzie is nervous to perform without an instrument to occupy his hands (the masturbation joke is almost too easy — on second thought, it’s just easy enough).
In rehearsal, MacKenzie dons a hideous “Navajo”-print polo, but soon outdoes himself with a pair of suspenders in the live performance. As much as hipster Harry Potter’s fashion sense irritates me, I really do like his voice — plus, Owl City perfectly suits his style. Emily’s performance is good, but sounds too much like a country artist’s novelty version of the song.
Resistance is futile — Cee Lo submits to the Borg. In the audience, MacKenzie’s bald, comically bro-y Dad turns out to be Hank Schrader, shouting “THAT’S MY BOY” at the top of his lungs. (MacKenzie doesn’t perform rock, dammit, but minerals.)
Tune in next Monday at 8 p.m. as The Voice’s battle round continues. In the meantime, follow me on Twitter @mollyfitz.
[Image Credit: NBC]
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When you're in high school it feels like the whole world is against you. In writer/director Stephen Chbosky's high school-set The Perks of Being a Wallflower the whole world may actually be against Charlie (Logan Lerman) whose freshman year of high school should be listed in the dictionary under "Murphy's Law." Plagued by memories of two significant deaths as well as general social anxiety Charlie takes a passive approach to ninth grade. A few days of general bullying later he falls into a friendship with two misfit seniors Patrick (Ezra Miller) and Sam (Emma Watson) who teach him how to live life without fear. Perks starts off with a disadvantage: introverts aren't terribly engaging but Chbosky surrounds Charlie with a vivid cast of characters who help him blossom and inject the coming-of-age tale with a necessary energy.
Set in a timeless version of the '90s Charlie's world is full of handwritten journals mixtapes and a just-tolerable amount of tweed. He writes letters to a nameless recipient as a way of venting a preventative measure to keep the teen from repeating a vague incident that previously left him hospitalized. The drab background of Pittsburgh fits perfectly with Charlie's blank existence. And when he finally comes to life as part of Patrick and Sam's off-beat clique so does the city. Like the archaic vinyl records Sam lusters over (The Smiths of course!) Chbosky visualizes Charlie's journey through the underbelly of suburban Pennsylvania with a raw emotion blooming lights and film grit at every turn. Michael Brook's score and an adeptly curated soundtrack accompanies the episodic affair which centers on Charlie's search for a song he hears during the most important moment of his life.
The charm that keeps The Perks of Being a Wallflower from collapsing under its own super seriousness come from Chbosky's perfectly cast ensemble. Lerman has a thankless job playing Charlie; often constrained to a half-smile and shy shrug Lerman is never allowed to grapple with Charlie's greatest fears and problems until (too) late in the film. Watson nails the spunky object-of-everyone's-affection but she's outshined by Mae Whitman as Mary Elizabeth another rebellious friend in the pack who takes a liking to Charlie. The real star turn is Miller riding high from We Need to Talk About Kevin and taking a complete 180 with Patrick a rambunctious wiseass who struggles to have an openly gay relationship with the football captain but covers his pain with humor. A scene of confrontation — at where else the cafeteria — is one of the best scenes of the year.
Chbosky adapted Perks of Being a Wallflower from his own book and the movie feels stifled by a looming structure. But it nails the emotional beats — there is no obvious path to surviving high school. It's messy shocking and occasionally beautiful. That about sums up Perks.

Hosting an awards show is a thankless job. Even if you do well, it's likely few will really remember you. If you really fudge it up (and you know I didn't really want to say fudge right there), then it can be a stain on the rest of your career. And that is the challenge that Jimmy Kimmel faces when he hosts the 64th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (as they're called on their long-form birth certificate) on Sept. 23.
So what advice can we give him? Since we can only judge based on past awards shows, let's look back at the history books. How can he be as successful as some who have gone before him?
Sing a Song: Know who kills as a host of the Emmys, Tonys, Grammys, Kid's Choice Awards, Ari Weisenberg's Bar Mitzvah, or any thing that he has ever hosted or will ever host in his whole life? Neil Patrick Harris. What does he always start with? A jazzy song and dance number. Come on, Jimmy, we know that you masterminded "I'm Fudging Ben Affleck." That is exactly what the Emmys need: A viral hit.
Script Something: Remember when the Emmys finally deigned to give the reality show hosts their own category, and in celebration, had all the nominees host the show that year? Yes, it was a national nightmare. They actually came out on stage and said, "Just like in reality, we have nothing planned." For real. Now, that is fudging ridiculous. (This is why you have a bad rap, reality.) And we shall never forgive Tom Bergeron, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandell, Jeff Probst, or Ryan Seacrest for perpetrating this on us.
Be Alone: A good host should act like a good boyfriend — he should make you feel like you're the most important person in the world, and, in turn, you should only want to focus on him. Look at how awful it was when the reality group hosted. Then, in 2003, there was like 11 hosts. No, there was lit-rally, to quote Rachel Zoe, 11 hosts. We can't even remember one. And who cares! Just let one guy do it. Don't share, Jimmy. Don't you dare.
Host a News Show: There are a surprising number of journalists who have hosted the show: Jane Pauley, Hugh Downs, Bryant Gumbel, Jon Stewart, Chet Huntley. That's weird. So perhaps Kimmel should get a lined notebook and put a card that said "Press" in his hat. Or maybe not. There's a reason why Anderson Cooper doesn't have this gig.
Have a Long Skinny Microphone: Television personality Art Linkletter hosted the Emmys twice. Let's remember the good ol' days of mid-century game shows and equip Kimmel with one of those long skinny microphones like on Match Game or one of Linkletter's programs. That would be so rad.
Differentiate Yourself: I have a really hard time keeping Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon separate. They're like the Dylan McDermott and Dermot Mulroney of late night TV. And since Fallon just hosted the Emmys in 2010, Kimmel really has to do something different unless he wants the two of them to be the Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato of Emmy Hosts. Fallon did that whole canned opening with the cast of Glee. Please don't do that. Please, no Glee.
Come Out: Seriously, the hosts of the Emmys are gayer than Richard Simmons' headband collection. The aforementioned NPH, Jane Lynch, Wanda Sykes, Ellen DeGeneres (multiple times!), David Hyde Pierce, Raymond Burr, Joan Rivers (an honorary inductee). Still, there must be something that connects the gay gene with the hosting gene. How about Jimmy get some of that? Wait, maybe we should call Anderson Cooper after all. Either way, I'm sure Ben Affleck will be thrilled to help out.
Follow Brian Moylan on Twitter @BrianJMoylan
[Photo Credit: ABC]
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The tragic and shocking passing of acclaimed director Tony Scott (Top Gun, True Romance, Crimson Tide, Enemy of the State, Man on Fire) has left Hollywood in a state of disbelief and mourning. The 68-year-old, whose illustrious career included producer on films like Prometheus and The Grey and executive producer on shows such as The Good Wife and Numb3rs, died Sunday when he fatally jumped "without hesitation" off the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro, Calif. He reportedly left a suicide note at his office. (Latest reports reveal that the filmmaker suffered from inoperable brain cancer prior to his suicide.) Scott, brother of fellow legendary director Ridley Scott, is survived by wife and their two young sons.
While so many have struggled to find the right words to comprehend his passing and pay tribute to his impact on Hollywood, some of Scott's friends, colleagues, and admirers have given statements and others took to their Twitter to express their feelings on the news.
In a statement released to Hollywood.com, Oscar winner Denzel Washington, who worked with Scott on five projects, including his last film Unstoppable said, "Tony Scott was a great director, a genuine friend and it is unfathomable to think that he is now gone. He had a tremendous passion for life and for the art of filmmaking and was able to share this passion with all of us through his cinematic brilliance. My family sends their prayers and deepest condolences to the entire Scott family."
According to E!, Top Gun star Tom Cruise said in a statement, "Tony was my dear friend and I will really miss him. He was a creative visionary whose mark on film is immeasurable. My deepest sorrow and thoughts are with his family at this time." Nicole Kidman, who worked with Cruise and Scott on Days of Thunder stated, "I'm so so sad. I loved Tony and he was always so good to me. He will be deeply missed by so many of us that knew him."
You can read a sampling of what Hollywood had to say on Twitter below.
Love ya Tony, always have, always will— Christian Slater (@ChristianSlate4) August 20, 2012
No more Tony Scott movies. Tragic day— Ron Howard (@RealRonHoward) August 20, 2012
RIP Tony. You were the kindest film director I ever worked for. You will be missed. ow.ly/d5Ngo— Val Kilmer (@ValEKilmer) August 20, 2012
There hasnt been 1 day since it came out that some1 doesnt say to me"I love #TrueRomance" Tony Scott was a sweet enthusiastic &amp; lovin man— Michael Rapaport (@MichaelRapaport) August 20, 2012
Tony Scott. Damn. Great knowing you, buddy. Thanks for the inspiration, advice, encouragement, and the decades of great entertainment.— Robert Rodriguez (@Rodriguez) August 20, 2012
So sad to hear the news about Tony Scott. His movies made growing up more fun for me. My prayers and condolences to the Scott family.— Justin Timberlake(@jtimberlake) August 20, 2012
I'm deeply shocked and saddened by the news of Tony Scott's death and my thoughts and prayers are with his family tonight.— Josh Charles (@MrJoshCharles) August 20, 2012
Such sad news about Tony Scott. Heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.— Jon Favreau (@Jon_Favreau) August 20, 2012
Deeply saddened to hear the news about Tony Scott. A fine film-maker and the most charming, modest man.— Stephen Fry (@stephenfry) August 20, 2012
So very, very sorry to hear of the death of Tony Scott. A terrible, terrible loss of a truly talented, brilliant man.— Martha Plimpton (@MarthaPlimpton) August 20, 2012
Awww Tony.Wish you had felt there was a way to keep going.What a sad waste.My thoughts go out to his wife and beautiful children.— Duncan Jones (@ManMadeMoon) August 20, 2012
RIP Tony Scott. Damn. He was a huge inspiration. Very sad.— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) August 20, 2012
Saddened by the death of Tony Scott. A wonderful film maker and a funny, sweet guy. My condolences to his family.— Susan Sarandon (@SusanSarandon) August 20, 2012
The death of Tony Scott is shocking and saddening. He was an inspired craftsman.— Roger Ebert (@ebertchicago) August 20, 2012
So sorry to hear of Tony Scott's passing. Such a sad loss. Condolences to his family, friends and fans of his films.— yvette nicole brown (@yvettenbrown) August 20, 2012
Collaborating with the great Tony Scott was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. My thoughts are with his family tonight.— Richard Kelly (@JRichardKelly) August 20, 2012
Devastated by the death of Tony Scott. Just watched True Romance 1 of my top 5 fav movies ever a few nights ago. #RIP— Dane Cook (@danecook) August 20, 2012
I've been extremely fortunate in my career. A career I wouldn't have without Tony Scott's persistence, love and relentless support.— Joe Carnahan (@carnojoe) August 20, 2012
Taking a moment to reflect on Tony Scott's life &amp; work! My sympathies to his family. Feeling the loss!— Samuel L. Jackson (@SamuelLJackson) August 20, 2012
My heart stopped when I heard of the tragic death of 1 of r most inspiring directors, Tony Scott. Rest In Peace Tony. U will be missd so...— Adam Shankman (@adammshankman) August 20, 2012
Tony Scott was incredibly encouraging to me at an early stage of my career. He was generous, gregarious &amp; immensely talented. Sadness.— mark romanek (@markromanek) August 20, 2012
True Romance. The scene with Christopher Walken and Dennis Hopper in a Detroit railyard is a classic. RIP Tony Scott.— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) August 20, 2012
Tony Scott director of my favorite movie man on fire." I wish you had moretime "— Chris Rock (@chrisrock) August 20, 2012
So sad to hear about Tony Scott. A master of grand action, nail biting pace and atmosphere. A real loss to film making.— Simon Pegg (@simonpegg) August 20, 2012
It's bittersweet to see the overwhelming praise for Tony Scott's work today. It's very much deserved, but sad he didn't hear it for himself.— edgarwright (@edgarwright) August 20, 2012
#RIPTONYSCOTTBig fan. Thank you for all of your movies. Sad day.— Peter Facinelli (@peterfacinelli) August 20, 2012
Tony Scott, rest in peace. How horribly sad.— Kat Dennings (@OfficialKat) August 20, 2012
RIP Tony Scott. Never knew him but always heard nothing but great things about him and I loved his films. Terrible loss for cinema.— Eli Roth (@eliroth) August 20, 2012
Rest in Peace...Tony Scott— Dylan McDermott (@DylanMcDermott) August 20, 2012
Just so sad about Tony Scott. R.I.P.— David Boreanaz (@David_Boreanaz) August 20, 2012
Two of my favorite movies of all time, "true romance" and "the hunger" #RIPTONYSCOTT— Evan Rachel Wood (@evanrachelwood) August 20, 2012
Shocked.Tony Scott is a legend.Tragic and sad day.Thoughts and prayers for his family.— Marc Webb (@MarcW) August 20, 2012
RIP mr. Tony Scott. :(— Kristin Chenoweth (@KChenoweth) August 20, 2012
"I make a movie because it's something that inspires me" ~ Tony Scott 6/21/44 - 8/19/12 Your movies inspired me..— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) August 20, 2012
met tony scott once. thought we would meet again. saddened by news of his passing. grateful for the work he leaves behind. peace to you sir.— Zachary Quinto (@ZacharyQuinto) August 20, 2012
[Photo credit: WENN.com] More: Top Gun Director Tony Scott Commits Suicide Tony Scott Had Inoperable Brain Cancer – REPORT Remembering Tony Scott and His Cinedmatic Legacy — VIDEOS

The new fall pilots haven't even premiered yet, but already the networks are looking forward to their next big task: finding the right pilots and scripts to order for the 2013-2014 season. Development season is well underway and has been for the past few weeks — although this season is marked by a declaration from some networks (namely ABC and NBC) that the typically order-happy suits would not be as quick to bulk up their pilot orders this year. In other words, less is more.
Most of the majors have already made their first-round choices for specific projects, and the trends that have emerged seem to be all about big-name attachments (e.g. Vince Vaughn, Jodie Foster, Ryan Reynolds), period dramas (e.g. Aztec empire, Cold War America, 1890s Europe), international transplants (from Israel, England and Scandinavia) and — in an interestingly-revived yet well-worn trend — book adaptations (including Dracula and two Sleepy Hollow reboots).
Here's what ABC, CBS, The CW, FOX, NBC and more have coming down the '13-'14 pipeline so far:
ABC
— Dumb F*ck: Single-camera comedy about an average Joe and his brilliant wife who move in with her intelligent yet emotionally stunted family of geniuses; written by Hank Nelken (Saving Silverman), executive produced by Vin Di Bona, Bruce Gersh, Susan Levison and Shaleen Desai.
— Burns &amp; Cooley: Medical procedural about two New York neurosurgeons who compete as they strive to be the top in all aspects of their lives; written by Meredith Philpott (Awkward), exec produced by Matt Gross (Body Of Proof).
— Founding Fathers: Drama about a war veteran whose Texas hometown is in the hands of a militia group led by his older brother; written by Rich D'Ovidio (Thir13en Ghosts), produced by Lorenzo Di Bonaventura and Dan McDermott.
— Untitled McG Project: Retelling of Romeo and Juliet, revolving around two rival families fighting for control over Venice, California; written by Byron Balasco (Detroit 1-8-7), produced by McG (The OC, Supernatural, Nikita).
— Untitled Kurtzman/Orci Project: Drama about a mysterious game; written by Noah Hawley (The Unusuals), produced by Heather Kadin, Alex Kurtzman and Bob Orci.
NBC
— Dracula: 1890s-set period piece about the iconic vampire; written by Cole Haddon, produced by Tony Krantz and Colin Callender; starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers (The Tudors).
— The Blacklist: Drama about an international criminal who surrenders himself and helps the government hunt down his former cohorts; written by Jon Bokenkamp, exec produced by John Davis, John Fox and John Eisendrath.
— Hench: Based on the comic about a man who becomes a temp for super villains; written by Alexandra Cunningham (Desperate Housewives), exec produced by Peter Berg and Sarah Aubrey (Prime Suspect).
— Cleopatra: Period drama about the Egyptian queen Cleopatra; written by Michael Seitzman (Americana), exec produced by Lorenzo Di Bonaventura and Dan McDermott.
— Pariah: Drama inspired by Freakonomics about a rogue academic who uses economic theory to police San Diego; written by Kevin Fox (The Negotiator), exec produced by Kelsey Grammer, Stella Stolper and Brian Sher.
— After Hours/The Last Stand: Medical drama about Army doctors who work the night shift at a San Antonio hospital; revisited from last season; written by Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah.
— Untitled Parkes/MacDonald Project: Drama about an interpreter at the United Nations who works with diplomats and politicians from around the world; written by Tom Brady (Hell on Wheels), produced by Walter Parkes, Laurie MacDonald and Ted Gold.
— Untitled Charmelo/Snyder Project: New Orleans-set drama, described as a "sexy Southern Gothic thriller"; created by Eric Charmelo and Nicole Snyder (Ringer), exec produced by Peter Traugott and Rachel Kaplan.
— Untitled Rand Ravich Project: Drama-thriller following a secret service agent at the center of an international crisis in Washington, DC; created by Rand Ravich (Life), produced by Far Shariat.
CBS
— Island Practice: Based on the book Island Practice: Cobblestone Rash, Underground Tom, and Other Adventures Of A Nantucket Doctor, about an eccentric doctor with a controversial medical practice on an island off the coast of Washington; written by Amy Holden Jones (Mystic Pizza, Beethoven), produced by Brian Grazer, Francie Calfo and Oly Obst.
— The Brady Bunch: Reboot of the series, about a divorced Bobby Brady who re-marries a woman with children of her own; written by Mike Mariano (Raising Hope), co-developed and exec produced by Vince Vaughn (Sullivan &amp; Son).
— A Welcome Grave: Based on the book series about a private investigator who comes under suspicion when a rival turns up dead.
— Backstrom: Based on the book series about a House-like detective who tries to change his self-destructive nature; written by Hart Hanson (Bones), produced by Leif G.W. Persson (novel) and Niclas Salomonsson.
— Ex-Men: Single-camera comedy about a young guy who moves into a short-term rental complex and befriends the other men who live there after being kicked out by their wives; written and directed by Rob Greenberg; starring Chris Smith and Kal Penn.
The CW
— Sleepy Hollow: Contemporary reinterpretation of the Sleepy Hollow short story; written by Patrick Macmanus and Grant Scharbo, produced by Scharbo and Gina Matthews.
FOX
— Gun Machine: Based on an upcoming novel (of the same name) about a New York detective whose chance discovery of a stash of guns leads back to a variety of unsolved murders; written by Dario Scardapane (Trauma), produced by Warren Ellis (book author), Scardapane, Peter Chernin and Katherine Pope.
— Sleepy Hollow: Modern-day thriller based on the Sleepy Hollow short story, following Ichabod Crane and a female sheriff who solve supernatural mysteries; written by Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (Fringe, Hawaii Five-0) and Phillip Iscove, produced by Heather Kadin and Len Wiseman.
— The Beach: Based on the 1996 novel and 2000 movie about a group of youths who try to start society over on a remote paradise; written by Andrew Miller (The Secret Circle).
— Hard Up: Single-camera comedy based on Israeli series about four twentysomething guys who are strapped for cash; written by Etan Frankel (Shameless), produced by John Wells.
— Lowe Rollers: Animated comedy about a struggling Titanic-themed casino in Las Vegas; written by Mark Torgove and Paul Kaplan (Outsourced) and Ash Brannon, produced by Ryan Reynolds, Jonathon Komack Martin, Steven Pearl and Allan Loeb.
— Untitled Chris Levinson Project: Cop drama about a detective who puts his life under surveillance when he begins to lose his memory; written by Chris Levinson (Touch), produced by Peter Chernin and Katherine Pope.
— Untitled Friend/Lerner Project: Drama set on an aircraft carrier following young naval officers and a female fighter pilot who tries to solve an onboard murder; written and produced by Russel Friend and Garrett Lerner (House).
— Untitled Ryan Reynolds Project: Half-hour comedy about a disgraced hotelier forced to manage a rundown airport hotel; written by Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay (Clash of the Titans), produced by Ryan Reynolds, Allan Loeb, Jonathon Komack Martin and Steven Pearl.
— Untitled Jason Katims Project: Romantic comedy about a single female attorney; written by Jason Katims (Parenthood, Friday Night Lights) and Sarah Watson.
HBO
— Getting On: U.S. adaptation of a British comedy about a group of nurses and doctors working in a women's geriatric wing of a run-down hospital; Big Love creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer to exec produce with Jane Tranter, Julie Gardner and Geoff Atkinson.
— Buda Bridge: Belgian-set crime drama about a woman who is found dead on a famous bridge in Brussels; written and directed by Michael R. Roskam (Bullhead), produced by Michael Mann (Luck) and Mark Johnson (Breaking Bad).
— Hello Ladies: Comedy about an oddball Englishman who chases women in Los Angeles; written, directed by and starring Stephen Merchant (The Office), produced by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky (The Office).
SHOWTIME
— Angie's Body: Drama about a powerful woman at the head of a crime family; written by Rob Fresco (Heroes, Jericho), directed and executive produced by Jodie Foster, Fresco and Russ Krasnoff.
— Conquest: Period drama about Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes, who clashes with the Aztec ruler Moctezuma II; written by Jose Rivera (The Motorcycle Diaries), produced by Ron Howard, Brian Grazer and Francie Calfo.
AMC
— Low Winter Sun: Based on 2006 British miniseries about the aftermath that follows the murder of a cop by a fellow detective; written by Chris Mundy; James Ransone, Ruben Santiago Hudson and Athena Karkanis to star.
— Those Who Kill: Based on Danish series about a detective and forensics scientist who track down serial killers; written by Glen Morgan, produced by Brian Grazer, Francie Calfo, Peter Bose and Jonas Allen, directed by Joe Carnahan.
— Untitled LaGravenese/Goldwyn Project: Legal thriller about an attorney who discovers new evidence that re-opens a sensational murder case; written by Richard LaGravenese, directed by Tony Goldwyn, exec produced by David Manson; Marin Ireland to star as female lead.
FX
— The Americans: Period drama about two KGB spies posing as Americans in Washington, DC; created by Joe Weisberg, exec produced by Weisberg, Graham Yost, Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey; directed by Gavin O'Connor; Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys and Noah Emmerich to star.
— The Bridge: Based on the Scandinavian series, about a murder investigation opened up after a dead body is discovered on a bridge connecting the United States and Mexico; written by Meredith Stiehm and Elwood Reid (Cold Case), produced by Carolyn Bernstein, Lars Blomgren and Jane Featherstone.
— Untitled Dr. Dre Project: One-hour drama about music and crime in Los Angeles; written by Sidney Quashie, exec produced by Dr. Dre.
Follow Marc on Twitter @MarcSnetiker
[Photo Credit: ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, The CW]

The Amazing Spider-Man would prefer if you didn't call it the fourth Spider-Man movie. See this ain't the Spider-Man your older brother knew from ten years ago — it's a reboot. The latest adventure to feature the comic book webslinger throws three movies worth of established mythology straight out the window swapping the original cast with an ensemble of fresh faces and resetting the franchise with a spiffy new origin story. "New" in the loosest sense of the word — the highlights of ASM mainly a sleek new design and spunky reinterpretation of Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) and gal pal Gwen Stacey (Emma Stone) are weighed down by overpowering sense of familiarity. Nearly a beat for beat replica of the 2002 original with some irksome twists of mystery thrown in Amazing Spider-Man fails to evolve its hero or his quarrels. The film has a great sense of cinematic power but little responsibility in making it interesting.
We're first introduced to Peter Parker as a young boy watching as his parents rush out of the house in response to a hidden danger. Mr. and Mrs. Parker leave their son in the care of his Aunt May (Sally Fields) and Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) who raise him into Andrew Garfield's geeky cool spin on the character. Parker's a science whiz but faces the challenges of every day life — passing classes talking to girls the occasional jock with aggression issues — but all of life's woes are put on hold when the teen discovers a new clue in the mystery behind his parents' disappearance. The discovery of his dad's old briefcase and notes leads Peter to Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans) a scientist working for mega-conglomerate Oscorp and his Dad's old partner. When they cross paths Connors instantly takes a liking to the wunderkind and loops him into the work he started with his father: replicating the regeneration abilities of lizards in amputee humans (Connors is driven to reform his own missing arm). But when Parker wanders into Oscorp's room full of spiders (a sloppily explained this-needs-to-be-here-for-this-to-happen device) he receives his legendary spider bite that transforms him into the hero we know.
Director Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer) desperately wants Amazing Spider-Man to work as a high school relationship movie but with the burden of massive amounts of plot and mythology to introduce the movie sags under the sheer volume of stuff. Stone turns Parker's object of affection Gwen Stacey into a three-dimensional character. Whenever they happen upon each other an awkward exchange in the hallway a flirtatious back-and-forth in the Oscorp lab (where Stacey is head…intern) or when the two finally begin a romantic relationship the two stars shine. They're vivid characters chopped to bits in the editing room diluted by boring franchise-building plot threads and routine action sequences. Seriously Amazing Spider-Man another mad scientist villain who uses himself as a test subject only to become a monster? And another bridge rescue scene? Amazing Spider-Man desperately wants to disconnect from the original trilogy but it's trapped in an inescapable shadow and does nothing radical to shake things up. Instead it settles for the same old same old while preparing for inevitable sequels instead of investing in its dynamic duo.
There's a sweet spot where the film really hits his stride. After discovering his spider-abilities Peter hits the streets for the first time. He's superhuman but still a headstrong teen full of obnoxious quips and close calls with shiv-wielding thugs. The action is slick small and playful Webb showing us something new by melding his indie sensibilities with big scale action. If only it lasted — the introduction of Ifans reptilian half The Lizard implodes Amazing Spider-Man into incomprehensible blockbuster chaos. A gargantuan beast wreaking havoc around New York City promises King Kong-like escapades for the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man but the lizard man has other plans: to rule the world! Or something. Whatever it takes to get Lizard and Spider-Man fighting on the top of a skyscraper over a doomsday machine — logic be damned.
Amazing Spider-Man peppers its banal foundation with great talent from Denis Leary as Gwen's wickedly funny dad and the police captain hunting down Spider-Man to Fields and Sheen as two loving adults in Peter's life to Garfield and Stone whose chemistry demands a follow-up for the sake of seeing them reunited. But it's all at the cost of putting on the most expensive recreation of all time with new demands imposed by the success Marvel's other properties (except that franchise teasing worked). Amazing Spider-Man introduces too many ideas that go nowhere undermining the actual threat at hand. No one wants to be unfulfilled but that's the overriding difference between the original movie and the update. You need to pay for the sequel to know what the heck is going on in this one.
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Widening the thematic scope without sacrificing too much of the claustrophobia that made the original 1979 Alien universally spooky Prometheus takes the trophy for this summer's most adult-oriented blockbuster entertainment. The movie will leave your mouth agape for its entire runtime first with its majestic exploration of an alien planet and conjectures on the origins of the human race second with its gross-out body horror that leaves no spilled gut to the imagination. Thin characters feel more like pawns in Scott's sci-fi prequel but stunning visuals shocking turns and grand questions more than make up for the shallow ensemble. "Epic" comes in many forms. Prometheus sports all of them.
Based on their discovery of a series of cave drawings all sharing a similar painted design Elizabeth (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie (Logan Marshall-Green) are recruited by Weyland to head a mission to another planet one they believe holds the answers to the creation of life on Earth. Along for the journey are Vickers (Charlize Theron) the ruthless Weyland proxy Janek (Idris Elba) a blue collar captain a slew of faceless scientists and David (Michael Fassbender) HAL 9000-esque resident android who awakens the crew of spaceship Prometheus when they arrive to their destination. Immediately upon descent there's a discovery: a giant mound that's anything but natural. The crew immediately prepares to scope out the scene zipping up high-tech spacesuits jumping in futuristic humvees and heading out to the site. What they discover are the awe-inspiring creations of another race. What they bring back to the ship is what they realize may kill their own.
The first half of Prometheus could be easily mistaken for Steven Spielberg's Alien a sense of wonder glowing from every frame not too unlike Close Encounters. Scott takes full advantage of his fictional settings and imbues them with a reality that makes them even more tantalizing. He shoots the vistas of space and the alien planet like National Geographic porn and savors the interior moments on board the Prometheus full of hologram maps sleeping pods and do-it-yourself surgery modules with the same attention. Prometheus is beautiful shot in immersive 3D that never dampers Dariusz Wolski's sharp photography. Scott's direction seems less interested in the run-or-die scenario set up in the latter half of the film but the film maintains tension and mood from beginning to end. It all just gets a bit…bloodier.
Jon Spaihts' and Damon Lindelof's script doesn't do the performers any favors shuffling them to and fro between the ship and the alien construction without much room for development. Reveals are shoehorned in without much setup (one involving Theron's Vickers that's shockingly mishandled) but for the most part the ensemble is ready to chomp into the script's bigger picture conceits. Rapace is a physical performer capable of pulling off a grisly scene involving an alien some sharp objects and a painful procedure (sure to be the scene of the blockbuster season. Among the rest of the crew Fassbender's David stands out as the film's revelatory performance delivering a digestible ambiguity to his mechanical man that playfully toys with expectations from his first entrance. The creature effects in Prometheus will wow you but even Fassbender's smallest gesture can send the mind spinning. The power of his smile packs more of a punch than any facehugger.
Much like Lindelof's Lost Prometheus aims to explore the idea of asking questions and seeking answers and on Scott's scale it's a tremendous unexpected ride. A few ideas introduced to spur action fall to the way side in the logic department but with a clear mission and end point Prometheus works as a sweeping sci-fi that doesn't require choppy editing or endless explosions to keep us on the edge of our seats. Prometheus isn't too far off from the Alien xenomorphs: born from existing DNA of another creature the movie breaks out as its own beast. And it's wilder than ever.
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Forget Black Swan – Natalie Portman’s real crowning performance is to be found in the romantic comedy No Strings Attached in which director Ivan Reitman asks her to convey sincere unqualified affection for Ashton Kutcher. Portman much to her credit gamely complies and though she may not have the emaciated figure bloody nails and bandaged ankles to tell of her labors the psychic scars must no doubt be just as severe.
Exhibiting strong chick-flick leanings and a rambunctious soft-R comic tone (i.e. lots of F-bombs some menstrual humor and a few shots of Kutcher’s naked ass) No Strings Attached is built around a basic relationship role-reversal: The dude Adam (Kutcher) longs for a deeper lasting commitment; the chick Emma (Portman) insists on keeping matters purely physical. Emma’s motive is a practical one: As a doctor-to-be her busy residency schedule with its 80-hour work weeks and intensive exam preparations precludes a serious relationship. But alas a woman has certain needs (foreplay apparently not being among them) and who better to fulfill them than Kutcher’s non-threatening boy-toy?
Thus a “friends with benefits” arrangement is cemented whereupon the ripcord is to be pulled on the occasion that either of them develops stronger feelings. This does not last long for soon Adam is cloyingly lobbying for escalation. Emma demurs – not out of disinterest we are told but because she’s intimacy-averse and afraid of a broken heart. Why else would she resist a more permanent attachment to someone like Adam?
Perhaps it’s because Adam as played by Kutcher is about as interesting as cabbage. And yet No Strings Attached would have us believe he’s some kind of floppy-haired Albert Schweitzer. This despite the fact that his greatest aspiration in life is to join the writing staff of a High School Musical-esque television series the shallow inanity of which is one of the film’s recurring jokes. In vain support of his cause the filmmakers decorate Adam’s apartment with various props – vintage posters books about 1920s movies a guitar that is occasionally picked up but never actually played – that hint at a depth that Kutcher himself never manifests.
Still Portman sells us on Adam and Emma’s inevitable union with every ounce of her not inconsiderable talent. (And her comic chops are legit – as those who’ve glimpsed her appearances on SNL and Funny or Die can attest.) But she asks too much. And Elizabeth Meriweather’s script while witty and stocked with some keen observations on the evolving nature of relationships in the modern age becomes weighed down by sentiment unbecoming an R-rated comedy not directed by Judd Apatow. In the end Kutcher seals the increasingly contrived deal with the climactic line “I’m warning you: Come one step closer and I’m never letting you go ” (I’m paraphrasing but not loosely) by which time the film's already lost its grip.